The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-09-16

as substantial as the supper, we started
for San francisco.
| We used our gold dust freely, for oul
one thought was to keep our secret til
we could hurry back and secure the
prize. Lest we might attract the no
tice of gold hunters, as eager as our
selves, we agreed to separate into two
parties, and deposit our dust in two
banks. Pat, who stood quite in awe
of Standish's business education anG
quickness at figures, declared that he
would ''howld on till what Misthel
Sthandish agraed.''
Joe's imperfect knowledge of the Ian
guage induced him to trust Standish al
SO. We appointed place of render
yous, and Standish went with Harry
to prospect for a small vessel to take
us back to the gold beach. l took il
upon myself to keep an eye on Pat and
Joe, for I feared that in that Babel
San Francisco, they might meet com
patriots, be thrown off their guard and
become confidential.
| Standish found that strangers in the
| city could not, Immediately command
the facilities we needed, and with Har-
rvs consent, decided to ask the advice
of business acquaintance of his book.
keeping days. As the assayer had pro.
nounced our specimens half pure gold,
Standish's friend promptly proposed
the formation Of a company and prom
ised to push its interests. Papers were
drawn up, and the next morning oul
party of five young men, comfortably
clothed. almost forgetting our recent
privations and exulting in the prospect
of laying hands on wealth that awaited
us, went aboard a cutter, well found in
all we should need.
The captains sealed orders directed
him to put us ashore wherever Stan
dish should say. We beat up the coast
and lay to off the gold beach. Heavy
breakers and savage rocks. water worn
into every imaginable shape, forbade
our running in close. A boat was low
cred and the>captain called for volun-
teers, from his crew. Three brave
seamen stepped forward. ''My orders
are to land my passengers, said the
captain. "That seas no mill pond.
The boat won't carry more'n three
landsmen. Who's for the first trip"
We hastily drew lots. Standish and
| were left out I begged Harry to let
me go in his place, but he pressed my
| hand and scrambled over the side.
Standish and stood on either side OF
| the captain, as he watched the boat
with the help of his glass, and reported
to us. After several attempts to land
had been made, as only good boatmen
| could make them, the boat, we sup
| posed, struck one of the treacherous
currents, became unmanageable, and
capsized. Had all the gold in the
world been before me, it would have
seemed as nothing when my only
brother was struggling in that boiling
surf, that would in all probability be
his grave. How could 1 write the It'd
ings homer Standish and I held a
short consultation with the captain.
Cant send in another boat" said he;
I'm short-handed enough now.
Trinidad's the highest landing any
salt water sailor'd try to make He
handed his glass to me and began to
give orders. / looked, in the forlorn
hope that I might distinguish some
thing of boat, crew or passengers, but
had either been visible at all, it must
have been to a more practiced eye
than mine. raised the glass to COM
mand the top of high bluff a little
north of where the boatmen had tried
to land. There, clearly outlined
against the sky, was moving figure.
Captain! what's that?' 1 cried.
Isn't it possible some of those poor
fellows have got out alive?''
Couldn't have climbed that bluff, "
he answered, taking the glass and
sweeping the shore "alow and aloft. -
After moment the glass came to a
rest, then slowly lowered as if some
object was being kept in focus. lived
years in seconds then.
"Must be a redskin," the captain
muttered. "Can't drown a redskin;
one " their eggshells IL live in break
ers that'd stave the staunchest boat
that's ever built. Thought I'd made
it right" and he again handed his
glass to ME.
could clearly discern an object, ris-
ing and falling on the water, and
though taking an irregular course,
gradually nearing the cutter. Nearer
still it came. and we thought we could
see something that looked like man,
half lying, half sitting. in the canoe
that was padded by one Indian.
"Canoe ahoy!" shouted the cap
tain. whats aboard?"
The Indian made no answer, but
padded slowly on.
"Stand by for rope the captain
shouted.
A rope, shot out over our heads, was
dexterously caught by the Indian, and
the canoe was drawn through the com
paratively smooth water. One of the
sailors lowered a boat-hook till it al
most touched the bottom of the little
craft. With the help of the hook and
of strong hands my brother Harry hall
climbed, was half lifted, on to the cut
ter's deck.
OF the six men who went in the
boat, he was the only one saved, and
he had been drawn out of the surf,
when he was past helping himself, by
the friendly Indian.
Taking the Indian on board and his
canoe in tow, we sailed for Trinidad.
In the morning, Standish and I, with
the Indian, started for the gold beach,
carrying tools for gathering and bags
for holding the gold. We reached the
beach. 1t was the place we had seer
a few days before glittering with the
1 IL I